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Stories Are Made Loop By Loop

HOLES to be part of STORIES ARE MADE LOOP BY LOOP, curated by Susan FellerAdvertising poster for STORIES ARE MADE LOOP BY LOOP exhibit

Stories Are Made Loop By Loop is all about contemporary rug hooking being done with fabric, yarn, and plastic and how an “old” technique is still being used to tell stories and for self expression. Susan premiered the exhibit last year in Virginia. A few months ago, I shipped Holes (hooked in 2020) to Susan in West Virginia, so it could join in at this traveling show’s second stop.

Hooked art
“Holes,” 68″ x 33″, monk’s cloth hooked with recycled textiles and silk sari ribbon. See her in Stories Are Made Loop By Loop in WV.

 

This Friday, March 8, the exhibit opens at the Juliet Art Museum, part of the Clay Center in Charleston, West Virginia. Participating artists include: Cheryl Bollenbach, Meryl Cook, Susan FellerElizabeth Miller, Karen D Miller, Domenica Zara Queen, Terri ToddBy Jane’s DaughterUnitingUs, Grue Shackleford, and Laura Salamy. See the artists’ social media accounts to see their stories and ongoing creative journeys. More information about the artists can also be found HERE.

If you’re like me and can’t get to Charleston, Susan has generously made the catalog available HERE. Topics taken up in the various pieces of art include: healing; cancer and mental health issues; motherhood and how it changes a woman; homelessness and addiction; environmental destruction and loss of natural resources; one’s sense of identity and finding a voice; and veterans’ advocacy.

Like many fiber arts, rug hooking is enjoying a bit of a renaissance, with artists applying more modern sensibilities and trying to bring attention to today’s social causes and passions. See the show, peruse the catalog, and observe how we’re all taking an old art form and using new/old techniques and materials to tell our stories. But like the artists who came before us, we’re still appreciating the colors and textures of this slow, meditative form of loop-making.

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The Challenge of Sauder Village

 

Susan Feller (l) and myself (r) at Sauder Village Rug Hooking Week.
Susan Feller (l) and myself (r) at Sauder Village Rug Hooking Week. WHIMSY is right over my head. Sadly, I believe that she was the only all non-wool rug there.

Last week I attended Sauder Village Rug Hooking Week. Because I didn’t register for any of the retreats or classes,  I spent three days taking in the various exhibits and hooking and meeting folks I’ve only communicated with through Zoom or social media. That was a great thing, the best of my SV experience. I must admit that I did very little hooking, LOL. Hey, I’m sociable!

I chose to attend SV this year because last fall I’d been asked to serve as a judge for Rug Hooking Magazine’s Celebration 33. And Susan Feller had coaxed me to leave the HOT Southwestern desert with an offer of rooming with her. Other than on Zoom, I hadn’t met with Susan since a big rug show in Connecticut in 2014. Win!

Hooked rug at Sauder Village
VERMONT PORTRAITS, hooked and designed by Jennifer Davey, was one of my favorite Celebrations finalists. I love its colors and graphic nature.

Of course, I had to get to Archbold, Ohio. Given clothing and the frame and other hooking “stuff,” I opted to drive. That’s 23 hours on the road, not counting food-, tea-, and pee-stops. Sleep too! But I really don’t mind driving and seeing the country. And Pandora follows me wherever I go, so I had tunes.

Given that I wasn’t participating in classes, I think that I might have had a difficult time finding my bearings if Susan hadn’t acted as my Obi Wan. We had work to do too. We’re in the midst of recruiting teachers and lecturers for In the Studio Online’s Workshop Week 2024 (in February). It was nice to have someone who knows through and through the who, what, where, when, and how of SV and Rug Hooking Week.

The night before the show opened to the public, we classroom-hopped seeing what the retreat students were creating. It was an excellent way to “run in” to folks too.

Of course, the rug show and special exhibits were quite amazing. Certainly, there was fabulous artistry and quality hooking to be seen. As I walked into the hall, I was pleasantly surprised to see my own WHIMSY hanging right at the front of the Celebrations exhibit. Which is the very first thing you see! The three of us judges were encouraged to send in rugs to hang with the finalists’ pieces. Seeing the scale and the true colors of the rugs I’d assessed in January using online pictures was eye-opening.

Meeting Remi Levesque of Nova Scotia, the mastermind of the USA50 Hooked Cushions was perhaps my favorite part of the entire trip. (I had hooked the New Mexico cushion.) Remi is…delightful! Susan and I went out for Mexican with him and another new Canadian friend. He was on top of the moon as his exhibit had won the Sauder Award earlier in the week.

Remi Levesque
Remi Levesque holding his Sauder Award ribbon in front of the USA50 exhibit.
USA50 Cushions exhibit at Sauder Village
Part of the USA50 Cushion exhibit. New Mexico is on the far right. It was designed by indigenous potter Patricia Lowden (Acoma Pueblo), hooked by me, and put together by friend Ruth Simpson.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were several special exhibits: Inspired Vessels, Amish Rugs, Rugs by Theodore Sizer, the USA50 Cushions, and Lift Every Voice. More on that last one in a bit. Then there were guild challenges, group exhibits, a display of Cushing’s Duncan rugs in all kinds of color combos, the Golden Age of Fairy Tale rugs, rugs that had been entered into the show in various categories (floral, braiding, miniature punch needle, Orientals, originals, and so on). There were 3-D rugs and applique and “fusion.” To tell you the truth, there were so many things to see that I suffered “rug fatigue.” I’d turn a corner and there’d be something I missed the previous day. In the end, I don’t think that I saw everything.

And don’t forget, ringing the show, were all kinds of vendors. If you needed wool, you’d come to the right place. I still get a little itchy just thinking about it. (I am allergic to wool, though I still use it in some of my work.)

Hooked rug by Nancy Thun
TOWERING ABSTRACTION by Nancy Thun. I loved Nancy’s rugs. Her GRAND CANYON -YELLOWSTONE was a Celebrations finalist.

 

Hooked rug by Judy Shields, Designed by W. Cushing CO.
While I typically prefer an original; rug, I thought that this and most of the pieces in the exhibit inspired by Alida Bayne Akers‘ paintings were charming. TULIP TIME was hooked by Judy Shields.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PRIVILEGE by Kris McDermet
PRIVILEGE by Kris McDermet. It was pretty impossible to get a full photo of this 3-D piece. You’re looking through a door/window to outside. It asks the question: What does it mean NOT to have shelter? Don’t we all deserve shelter?

One of the exhibits stood out for more than its artistry. Other than Kris McDermet‘s “Privilege,” there were few pieces that highlighted social issues. Most were decorative, which isn’t wrong, certainly, but I do value art that is beautiful and well done and challenges me in some way. I can truly appreciate all the work that goes into creating a large, hooked Oriental to use on the floor or a gorgeous landscape to put on the wall. But our world is troubled; art that I see or make should – at least sometimes – help me make sense of it.

Design by Catlett; hooked by Lisa Meechem.
“MY RIGHT IS A FUTURE OF EQUALITY WITH OTHER AMERICANS.” In the pic you can see the original print. Hooker Lisa Meechem is Canadian but states that both countries have a shared history of discrimination and segregation regardless of “emancipation.”

The Lift Every Voice exhibit wildly moved me and others who took the time to read the texts that accompanied the artwork. Most visitors did not. Of those who did, some actually cried, especially when they got to Deirdre Pinnock‘s piece. Maddy Fraioli coordinated this exhibit, and all contributions were based on Elizabeth Catlett‘s own prose (third paragraph below).

Fourteen American and Canadian women, spanning the continent from Nova Scotia to Seattle and Vancouver collaborated on hooking the series of fifteen block prints that artist Elizabeth Catlett first produced in Mexico City in 1947. During the pandemic in 2021 and 2022, of the 14 artists, 6 of us are black, 2 of us are Canadian, and the remaining 8 are white and from the U.S. We found common bonds of purpose and passion during the period of time that we worked to complete our rugs

We met on zoom, chose the prints through lottery, discussed the artist, and reflected on how we might approach our hooked pieces so that they accurately reflected on what Ms. Catlett had conveyed over 70 years ago when she first produced this collection of social justice block prints.  We recognized that Ms. Catlett’s’ images and message resonate as much now as they did then.

“I am the black woman. I have always worked hard in America, in the fields, in other folks’ homes. I have given the world my songs. In Sojourner Truth I fought for the rights of women as well as Blacks. In Harriet Tubman I helped hundreds to freedom. In Phyliss Wheatley I proved intellectual equality in the midst of slavery. I have studied with ever increasing numbers. My role has been important in the struggle to organize the unorganized. My reward has been bars between me and the rest of the land. I have special reservations, and a special fear for my loved ones. My right is a future of equality with other Americans.”
-Elizabeth Catlett

 

Deirdre’s piece is of a lynching. She had this to say about the print she chose:

Hooked by Deirdre Pinnock
One side of “AND A SPECIAL FEAR FOR MY LOVED ONES.” Hooked by Deirdre Pinnock. Yes, that is a lynching portrayed in hooked art.

I originally chose three pieces that I liked from the collection. I had no intention of following through on rug hooking a lynching. At the time I was being righteous in trying to find my way to voice: “I am the BLM movement” and that I’m not okay with the six lynching’s that occurred in the USA in 2020-2021.This image was subliminally at rest in my head, and now it is real… it’s in my hand. So, what else could I do but give this man back his voice, to give him dignity and show him kindness. Give him Life.

Note the Life in the grass and lively yellow flowers, his bright bloody red shoe bottom, a crisp clean white shirt, baby pink open hand, and the Dapper Dan purple socks… all wrapped in silken golden lasso that I made with laboured respect.

Through the creation of this piece, I experienced traumatizing tearful moments. I did find my joy after letting myself rest and letting the piece rest for several months — it was necessary. I reprimanded myself to get back to giving this man his dignity. I did this through my colour schemes. Please note he is lynched on one side of the canvas and not the other side again giving him LIFE! This work should hang with both sides evident to the public. I’m so proud of myself for completing this work through all my trepidation, inner battles, self-doubt, and even the anger that I, the Woman of Colour, was faced to do this lynching piece out of Catlett’s collection.

In conclusion, racial diversity in rug hooking is missing. The honour to work with art by a Black woman artist was a thrill. After 22 years of doing Rughooking, I’ve only met two rug hookers of colour, and one of them is me. We’re both in Canada paying homage to a woman that was not given a seat at the table in 1950’s America. In 2023, the sisterhood of rug hookers gave me a seat at the table. I present this work to the Rughooking community that proves that change has come and it’s here to stay. This piece will start the conversation for a need in diversity of people and of art. I believe it’s truly needed in the crafting of Rughooking; is not just crafting anymore; it’s a place to have a voice, to be brave, and truly never give up on one’s art no matter how controversial or Vincent van Gogh – traumatizing it may be. I’ve kept my ear through it all.”

 

Sadly, this display is so very timely today given our current events. You can read all about each piece in Rug Hooking Magazine‘s January/February, 2023, issue. Or see where the exhibit’s off to next.

Lift Every Voice as well as the demographics of Rug Hooking Week participants and viewers made it very clear how our rug hooking community lacks diversity – of skin color, of age, of income, and of gender. While there’s nothing wrong with being an older, white woman, if that describes us all (and it pretty much does), our art is going to disappear as we disappear. Of course, it’s not just hooking; many fiber art organizations suffer from the same problem. I’m 59; in my guild there’s one woman who’s 58. We’re the “babies.”

When I walk into Sauder Village, I should see the  past, present, and future of rug hooking. I don’t see the future, the young folks who are experimenting with punch needle and even tufting. Maybe they learned how to punch on YouTube. Maybe they don’t bind a rug like we do or follow the “rules.” But we need those people to keep our art viable and relevant in coming decades. I suspect they’re not too interested in primitive patterns or many of the themes we saw in the rugs at Sauder this year. Let’s invite them and ask them what and how they make art on their monk’s cloth or linen. Let’s learn about each other. There’s room enough in rug hooking for all of us.

Donna Hrkman with her piece THE RED BIRD. Sauder VIllage winner.
Congratulations, Donna Hrkman on receiving a People’s Choice Award for THE RED BIRD. “The Red Bird” rug is a tribute to a Lakota Sioux woman who survived being taken from her family as a child and sent to a Residential School. She survived cruel treatment and went on to become a writer, poet, and teacher. She was called Red Bird because it is a symbol of courage.”

 

 

NIGEL, "textile taxidermy" by Yvonne Iten-Scott. Sauder Village winner.
Yvonne Iten-Scott also won a Sauder Village People’s Choice Award for NIGEL, her “textile taxidermy” piece.

 

SHAKER TREE OF LIFE, rug hooked by Karen Buchheit, designed by Lucille Festa as adapted from a design by Hannah Cohoon
I absolutely love this rug. Wish the pic was better. SHAKER TREE OF LIFE is a Celebrations finalist. It was hooked by Karen Buchheit and designed by Lucilla Festa as adapted from a design by Hannah Cohoon (in 1854).

 

GOOD VIBRATIONS/ACID SNOW designed and hooked by Becky Headley. At Sauder Village.
This is fabulous! GOOD VIBRATIONS/ACID SNOW was designed and hooked by Becky Headley. It was part of a “snowflake” exhibit by the Friendship Rug Hookers.
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MAVWA UPDATE – Punch needle class info (and more!)

Updated information

Logo for the Mountain and Valley Wool Festival, updated MAVWA
Logo for the Mountain and Valley Wool Festival

Mountain and Valley Wool Festival
Santa Fe in October

If you read the previous post from way back in June – hey, it’s summer and I’m enjoying a break! – you saw that I’ll be teaching an all-day workshop on punch needle rug hooking. At that point, I didn’t have the info on when the class would happen. I do now!

The class will be on Thursday, October 5. It starts at 9:00 and ends at 5:00 or whenever you decide you’ve punched plenty. Because MAVWA’s workshops happen on Thursday and Friday, students won’t miss any of the festival events that weekend. In fact, because my workshop is Thursday, you can still take a class on Friday too! See both days’ offerings HERE.

Punch needle rug hooking
Punch needle by Amy Oxford. Original design.

If interested, please note:
To allow folks from places afar to plan, festival organizers make decisions about workshops running in early September. If they don’t think they have enough students by around Labor Day, they will cancel a class. It happened to me last year. If you think you want to take a class, forget late registration. Do it now! Or plan on a private lesson here in Albuquerque. That also happened last year. LOL

In addition to this MAVWA update, take a peek at our CALENDAR page. There are some new listings just today. Most exciting is that I’ll be teaching a INTRO TO RUG HOOKING at Convergence in Wichita next July. I am sooooo thrilled. HGA (Handweavers Guild of America) hasn’t yet put up the info for Convergence, but keep an eye out for it. Back in 2014, before I moved out here, I attended the exhibits and vendors’ market at Convergence when it was held in Providence. Little did I know that I’d be a part of such a BIG EVENT so many years later. Or such a great organization. HGA promotes all fiber arts here in the US and abroad.

Sauder Village logo

Lastly, I’m finally going to make it to Sauder Village’s Rug Hooking Week this year. WOOHOO! As a judge for this year’s Celebration contest, I was invited. I even get to put a rug in the Celebrations exhibit. How cool is that? Also very exciting: Because I hooked New Mexico’s cushion for the USA50 project, I have a piece in that exhibit too! I only wish that Ruth Simpson could attend with me. I did the easy part – hooking – while she had to put the whole thing together! Read about it HERE. So if you’re going to be there, I hope we can meet up. I’ve no plans other than soaking it all up and taking lots of pics. Let me know!

 

So, it’s been a busy summer so far. If you’re going to be in the New Mexico area, okay, a really BIG area, give a yell. High on Hooking will be at at Las Golondrinas in Santa Fe again the first weekend of August for the Beer and Food Festival. Stop by to say hello and pick up a gift for family, friends, or yourself. In the meantime, stay cool!

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Punch at the Mountain & Valley Wool Festival!

Punch Needle Rug Hooking Workshop
Mountain and Valley Wool Festival
October, 2023

Logo for the Mountain and Valley Wool Festival. Learn Punch Needle Rug Hooking at the Festival.
Logo for the Mountain and Valley Wool Festival

If you’ve had a yen to experience Santa Fe and all she has to offer – especially in regard to wool and fiber arts – then plan on being here the first week of October when New Mexico is at her most beautiful. And if you’ve been wanting or maybe putting off learning punch needle rug hooking, then start making your arrangements now!

High on Hooking will be offering a PUNCH NEEDLE RUG HOOKING WORKSHOP in conjunction with the festival, which, BTW, is the new incarnation of the Taos Wool Festival. Sadly, the festival outgrew its digs in Taos, but that is a HUGE PLUS for those of us south of Taos. Plus parking and just getting to the fairgrounds are soooo much easier.

Things going on at the festival:

  • An Outstanding regional wool market featuring Juried Artists, Crafters and Vendors offering their wool, fiber, yarns,fiber arts-related tools and equipment as well as finished items and other artistic, fiber creations.
  • Fiber Critter Corner that includes live sheep, alpacas, goats, angora rabbits, and more.
  • Demonstrations of spinning, dyeing, shearing sheep and many other fiber related skills.
  • Competitions for handspun yarnhand dyeingfleeces (wool and alpaca) and finished garments and home accessories.
  • Silent Auction, featuring many unique donated items.
  • Hands-On Activities for kids of all ages.
  • Workshops before the festival weekend.
  • Food vendors offering a variety of beverages, snacks and lunch items.
  • With the added ambience of live music, the festival is unique and fun for the whole family.

The workshop schedule isn’t out yet, but keep an eye out on the MAVWA site HERE. And feel free to contact me directly about the punch needle rug hooking class. In the meantime, enjoy your summer!

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Santa Fe Spring Festival, June 3 & 4

18th Annual Santa Fe Spring Festival: Featuring Lavender and Fiber Art!

Marketing poster for Santa Fe Spring Festival at El Rancho de las Golondrinas, NM.Celebrate Spring with our Spring Festival: Featuring Herb & Lavender, and the opening of our 2023 season! Learn about New Mexico’s rich cultural heritage through an array of fun activities and demonstrations. Experience traditional New Mexican ranch activities like sheep shearing, spinning and weaving, plus a fiber arts marketplace featuring local artisans and craftsmen, horno bread baking, crafts for children, and more!
-https://golondrinas.org/

We here at High on Hooking hope that you can make it up to El Rancho de las Golondrinas (just sounth of Santa Fe) to celebrate the start of summer here on New Mexico’s high desert. I’ll be sharing a booth with Barbara Knupper, weaver and jewelry maker extraordinaire. You can find her art at the Artful Artisan.

We invite you to peruse our wares and enjoy the atmosphere of the Spring Festival on the ranch! Bring the whole family!

PS – To those, like me, who might be from New England, Las Golondrinas is kind of like a more primitive Sturbridge Village, southwest style:

El Rancho de las Golondrinas is a living history museum located on 200 acres in a rural farming valley just south of Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Museum, dedicated to the history, heritage and culture of 18th and 19th century New Mexico, opened in 1972. Original colonial buildings on the site date from the early 1700s. In addition, historic buildings from other parts of northern New Mexico have been reconstructed at Las Golondrinas. Villagers clothed in the styles of the times show how life was lived on the frontier in early New Mexico. Special festivals and weekend events offer visitors an in-depth look into the celebrations, music, dance and many other aspects of life in the Spanish, Mexican and Territorial periods of the Southwest.
-https://golondrinas.org/

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